TODAY’S TOPICS: MOTHER NATURE AND FAST PITCH TOURNAMENT ECONOMICS

I hope as you are reading this you and your surroundings are dry or on the way to drying out.  The down pours of the past few days have been challenging for both residents and the City.  We have been responding as quickly as we can to the challenges caused by 4.5 inches of rain falling in just a few hours on Tuesday.  Just to give you an idea, the Black River was 1.4 feet over flood stage on Tuesday afternoon and by midnight it was 7.99 feet above. 

That being said, please know that members of my administration understand that there are neighborhood concerns related to an aging infrastructure and our Engineering Department is in the process of conducting an assessment to address the issues over time.  As funds are available the City is slip lining older sewer lines as a cost-effective way of modernizing the system and helping to address flooding issues.  To report water in your basement between 8:00am and 4:30pm call the Waste Water Pollution Control Plant at 366-221.  After hours, please call the Elyria Police Department Dispatch at 323-3302.   

TODAY’S TOPICS: The Route 57/49th Street Bridge Reconfiguration & Kind & Caring Wildlife Rescues

Resident Ken recently inquired about the status of the Route 57/East 49^th Street Bridge reconfiguration.  I am happy to report that the project is still alive and well and the City of Elyria will likely know by September of this year as to whether or not the $28 million infrastructure project will move forward in the 2014-2015 timetable. 

I recently participated in the second to last public hearing on the subject on June 6 in Akron in front of the state’s TRAC Committee.  Another hearing will be held in August in front of the Ohio Turnpike Commission, who has final input on the project.  As you may recall, the project will remedy a high crash zone by modifying the existing I-90/SR 57 interchange, incorporating a diamond interchange with traffic signals at ramp intersections that will move 620 feet north, removing the 49^th Street Bridge overpass by Midway Mall and the ramps to Griswold Road and Midway Mall Boulevard.  It will also widen SR 57 to six lanes between the Ohio Turnpike and I-90, widen Midway Mall Boulevard to four lanes and a left turn lane, bring Griswold Road to current design standards and add sidewalks and relocate the existing frontage roads.

Today’s Topic: Celebrating Downtown…Summer Concerts and Classic Car Show

To say the weather is not cooperating with our summer concert series would be an understatement. The last two Thursdays in a row the City has been forced to cancel its summer concerts due to rain. Hopefully this coming Thursday, June 20 luck day for sunshine and we’ll be able to enjoy the band Yearbook in a fully deckedout Ely Square.  Please mark your calendars and cross your fingers as we hope to join you on the following dates for some wonderful music in the park.  Summer concerts are sponsored by the Elyria Parks and Recreation Department on the following Thursday afternoons from 11:30am – 1:00pm.  Bring your lawn chairs and purchase hotdogs, beverages and snacks from the Elyria Parks and Recreation Hot Dog Cart! 

•  June 20 – Yearbook
• June 27 – New Decade
• July 4 – No concert
• July 18 – Malt Shoppe Memories
• July 25 – Ed Klimczak
• August 1 – Figure 8
• August 8 – Keith Ransom
• August 15 – Rich Gallo

Also, please mark your calendars for a Classic Car Show and two concerts coming up on Sunday, July 28. Sponsored by Donna’s Diner, with McGuire’s Auto Parts, The City of Elyria, The Chronicle Telegram and Dove Manufacturing

TODAY’S TOPIC: WE’RE LISTENING ….. START WITH HEART

Nothing makes my day more than hearing from satisfied taxpayers.  Recently a resident, Kathleen on Windbrook, emailed me to say the following:

“It’s not too often that we take the time to compliment a person on exemplary customer service.   I was so impressed with the actions of your building department employee that I felt I just had to write this letter of commendation about Tim Golden.”  She went on to explain how within 20 minutes of her call Mr. Golden responded and solved an issue regarding a problem water line.   “You have a very dedicated, customer-oriented, courteous employee working for you.  You should be very proud!”

And proud we are.  This is the third such letter I have received recently commending Elyria City employees on outstanding customer service. The City of Elyria has some wonderful people working on its behalf, so I am not terribly surprised – but I am gratified that we are growing this trend of satisfaction through our new customer service training program for employees provided to us free of charge as a municipal pilot project by the Cleveland Clinic.

Called Communicate with HEART℠ - for Hear, Empathize, Apologize, Respond and Thank – this award-winning customer service model was brought to the City by Safety Service Director Mary Siwierka who was a former administrator in the Cleveland Clinic Office of Customer Satisfaction.   The model has been adapted and provides training in service recovery – making right what went wrong.  The training is designed to challenged employees to think about when they may not have received the service they expected.  How did that make them feel”   What was their impression of the organization? 

Today’s Topics: Emergency Home Repairs & Street Resurfacing

If you or someone you know is in need of emergency home repair, you may want to check out the City of Elyria’s Emergency Home Repair Program. Funded by HUD through the Community Development Block Grant Program, the City is offering grants up to $10,000 to Elyria residents to repair (1) inoperable and/or unsafe furnaces and hot water tanks, and (2) ADA Accessibility Projects for individuals with disabilities or handicaps.